Stapling machine



F. FRANZ STAPLING MACHINE Jan. 18, 1949.

5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed May 25, 1945 3' M M /7 767Z77 4 32 I k & 6 25 a; 75

y Y INVENTOR.

M ATTORNEY Jan. 18, 1949. F. FRANZ STAPLING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 25, 1945 INVENTOR.

M @ATTORNEY Jan. 18, 1949. 1 FRANZ STAPLING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 25, 1945 INVENTOR.

% ATTORNEY Jan. 18, 1949. FRANZ 2,459,313

STAPLING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 'IlIrl1Iz///4vlllalllllwlllmr W ZATTORNEY Jan. 18,1949. FRANZ 2,459,313

STAPLING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1945 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ug /riperfect staple and thereby eliminate the waste of wire and time incident to formation of an incomplete staple on the first operation of the known machines. 1

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which v a t Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partially broken away and partly in section, of a machine embodying my invention, the parts being shown in their normal positions with the plunger device at the end of the up-stroke.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the parts in the positions they occupy at the end of a, down-stroke of the plunger device.

1 Figure 23 is a schematic perspective view of the .wire feeding clutches and a portion of the wir v guide, and

' Figure 24 is an enlarged fragmentary trans- Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional'view taken;

approximately on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 1, portions being broken away for clearness in illustration.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the plane of the line 44 of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a similar viewon the plane of the line 5 -5 of Figure 3, portions being shown in full. Figure 6 is a rear end elevational view of the machine.

Figure? is-a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken approximately on the plane of the line 'I-'! of Figure 3, portions being shown in full. 1 Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the forward end of the machine with the parts in the position shown in Figure 1. Figure 9 is a partial side elevational view and I chine shown comprises a substantially rectangular base I having a peripheral depending flange, a

partial vertical longitudinal sectional-view, on an enlarged scale, showing the parts approximately in the position shown in Figure 2. l

Figure 10 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional View similar to Figure 3 but on an enlarged scale and with certain parts broken away and others omitted for clearness in illustration.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view approximately onthe line H.-I l of Figure 3, with portions omitted forzclearness in illustration.

1 Figure 12 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view approximately on the plane of the lihe'l2-l2 of Figure 10, but showing the plunger device at an intermediate point in the downstroke thereof. 1 I

Figure 13 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view on the plane of the line I3l3 of Figure 12. i

Figure 14 is a view approximately on the plane of the line I4I4 of Figure 10, but showing the,

plunger device at the intermediate point in its down-stroke approximately corresponding to that shown in Figures 12 and 13.

Figure 15 is a view similarto Figure 14, showing the plunger device advanced on its down-stroke beyond the position shown in Figure 14.

Figure 16-is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view approximately on the plane of the line l6l6 of Figure 9, showing the plunger device at the lower limit of its down-stroke and illustrating the formation of a clinched staple.

Figure 17 is a horizontal sectional view on the plane of the line Ill-I1 of Figure 9;

Figure 18 is a detached perspective view of the plunger device and Figure 19 is a view similar to Figure 7 showing a modification of the invention. j Figure'20 is a view similar to Figure'l with the 1 *verse vertical sectional view on the line 2424 "of Figure 21.

I, Referring to the drawings, the fastening mapair of lugs 2 struck-up therefrom adjacent its rear'end at opposite 'sides of a substantially. rectangular opening 3, and an anvil 4 suitably secured thereto adjacent its forward end.v "The.

relation to each other to an arm 8 of a hinge ele-' ment 9 which is pivotally connected by a pin ID to the lugs 2 of the base, said arm projecting up wardly through the opening 3 in the base. The plates'5'and 6 are held in rigid relation to the hinge member and to each other by a bolt I4 and by'lugs E5 on said arm 8 snugly fitting openings in said plates. A spring I6 constantly tends to maintain the frame or support A in its raised or uppermost position as indicated by'heavy dot and dash outline in Figure 1, the hingemember having a lug ll to abut said base and limit upward movement of said frame. The arm '8 of the hinge element is offset to one side of the longitudinal plane of the base that passes through the anvil 4 to facilitate charging of the machine with wire as hereinafter described and also to provide clearance for adjustment and location'of sheets to be stapled.

" The spool S carrying the wire W from'which the staples are made, may be mounted' in the frame A in any suitable manner. As shown the spool is journaled in an inverted U-shaped bracket I8 which has lugs I9 on its arms to pivotally and removably seat in undercut notches 20 in extensions 2i of the plates 5 and 6 which are held in spaced relation by a spacer bar 24. A spring 22 is connected to the bracket l8 and has one end 23 underlying a pivot pin 6! which will be described later, to maintain tension on the portion of the wire that is between the spool and wirefe-eding mechanism which will be hereinafter described. The other end 25 of said spring frictionally drags as a brake on the wire on the spool to prevent over-running of the spool as the wire inner surface of the front web 1 which connects angers the plates. and 6. The plate 25 (Figs. 1 and 5) has horizontal extension 28. which. extends. across the space between the plates 26. and 21 and is provided with a vertical flange 2611 at its rear portion, disposed approximately in a common plane with the plate 21. l

.A wire-feeding slide 30, substantially rectangular in. plan and in cross-section, is horizontally slidably mounted on said extension 28 between the lower portion of the plate 26 and the flange 26a, being held against vertical movement by spaced pairs of lugs 31 struck in from the plate 26 and by a bracket 33 of awire-guiding roller to be described hereinafter. The slide 36 has con nected to its forward end a mandrel 32, narrower than the slide, over which the staples are formed. Adjacent its forward end in the edges thereof next to the plate 26', the slide has a notch 314 in which is pivotally movable a bearing head 35-011 one arm 35 of a bell crank lever 31 which is pivoted on a horizontal pin mounted in and extending between the plates 26 and 21. The end of the other arm 38 of said bell crank lever has two spaced projections or teeth 40 and 4|.

The two-part plunger device (Fig. 18) comprises a cutting and forming member or die 43 which is substantially rectangular and is disposed for vertical reciprocatory movement in the guideway provided by the front vertical edges of plates 26 and 21 and the forward vertical end portion of the main frame or support A, and a substantially rectangular punch or staple driving member 44.

The die 43 consists of similar rectangular spaced side members 45 and 46 connected by a thin integral front Web 41, a channel thus being provided in the rear of said web in which the punch 44 is mounted for sliding movement. The web 41 terminates some distance above the lower end of die 43, the construction being such that thelower spaced end portions of the side members of the die are adapted to straddle and fit fairly close over the mandrel 32 upon the down stroke of the plunger device. The side members 45 and 46 have notches 48 in their outer edges, and lugs 49 projecting from the front edges of plates 26 and 21, extend into these notches and coact with the ends thereof to limit the vertical movements of the die. The inner opposed edges of members 45 and' lt are provided for their entire length with small vertical grooves 50.

The punch 4:3 consists of a rear thick block or member 5[ and a thin front plate or member 52 secured as by riveting to such block. The member 52 extends downwardly below the lower end of block 5| and its edge portions project beyond the side edges of the block and slidably engage the grooves 50 in the die, to which grooves such side edge portions conform. A pawl .53 in the form of an inverted U, embraces block 5| and is pivoted on a lug 53a which is integral with and projects rearwardly from the block. A small compression spring 54 disposed between block 5| and the upper end of pawl 53, tends to maintain the latter in the position shown in Figures 14 and 18 in which the teeth thereof engage angular notches 55 formed in the rear faces of members 45 and 46 of the die. At its upper end pawl- 53 is provided with a rearwardly extending lug 56 adapted to coact with the upper screw or bolt 29, as will presently appear. At its lower end block 5| is provided with a rearwardly extending lug or tooth 51 which projects between and is adapted to coact with the teeth 48 and 4! to effect angular movements of lever 3! and thereby backward and forward reciprocatory movement of slide 36 upon the down and up strokes, respectively, of the plunger-device. The front web 4'! of die 43 has a vertical slot 58,.and a pin 59 secured to punch 4d extends into said. slot and coats'wit'h the upper end thereof to limit the upward reciprocatory movement of the punch with respect to the die.

For the manual actuation of the machine, I provide a long channeled lever 60- which is pit-- oted at its rear end, by means of the horizontal screw or bolt 6|, to the main frame A at a point adjacent that portion of the latter in which spool S is mounted. At its front end, which is located a considerable distance forwardly of the front end of frame A, lever 60 is. provided with a handle 62, and intermediate its ends such lever has a pair of similar downwardly extending flanges 63. These lugs 63 are preferably formed integrally with the sides of the channel piece from which lever '60 is formed and embrace the frame A at the front end portion thereof in which the plunger device is mounted. Two vertically disposed links 64 are respectively pivotally connected at their lower ends by pins 65 to the lower ends of the flanges 63 and lie adjacent the inner surface of the latter. A horizontal wrist pin or rod 66- is secured at its ends in the upper ends of links 64 and extends loosely through an opening 61 provided in the enlarged upper end of the block 5i. The pins 65, links 64 and wrist pin 66, as is obvious, form an operative connection between the plunger device and lever 60. A compression spring 68, of considerably greater strength than the spring I6, is disposed between lever 60 and the auxiliary frame comprising plates 26 and 21; with its ends respectively seated in the channel of said lever and on a cross-piece 69 secured to the rear low end portions of said plates. This spring 68 constantly tends to maintain lever 60' and the plunger device in their raised or uppermost positions with respect to the main frame A, as shown by heavy broken lines in Figure 1; in which the lower ends of the notches 48 in die 43 engage the lugs 49 of plates 26 and 21, the pin 59 of punch 44 engages the upper end of slot. 58 in the die and the teeth of pawl 53 rest in the notches 55 of the die.

The lower end faces of members 45 and 46 of the die are provided with transverse aligned angular notches 10 (Fig. 13) adapted, upon the down stroke of the die, to engage the end portions. of the piece of wire to be formed into a staple and to guide the same into the vertical grooves. 50 in. said members'the inner ends of the notches respectively intercepting said grooves.

The wire-feeding and guiding mechanism is shown as comprising a grooved roller '12. which is journaled on a pin 13 in the bracket 33 which has been hereinbefore referred to. The bracket. 33 has a slot 14 through which passes a pin 15 which is rigidly secured in an ear 16 which is struck inwardly from the plate 26 in spaced and approximately parallel relation to the extension 28 and at the opposite side of the slide 30. With this construction the bracket 33 may be swun outwardly into the position shown by dot and dash lines in Figure 3 to permit the laying of. the wire Win the groove of the roller 12, or said bracket maybe swung into position shown in solid lines in Figure 3 to cooperate with another groovedfeeding roller H, for feeding the Wire. For holding the bracket in the solid line position shown in Figure 3, the bracket has a spring ex roller 12 that the roller 71 may extend into thelatter groove and grip the wire W between itself;

and the base of said groove in the roller 1'2 as most clearly shown in Figure 7. Preferably the groove 83 in the roller 11 is V-shaped so as to firmly grip the wire, and the depth of the groove is such that the Wire will projectbeyond the outer periphery of the roller so that there may be a three-point engagement of the wire with the base of the: groove in the roller 12 and the sides of the groove 83 in the roller TI.

It will be observed that the lower edge of the plate 21 is in spaced relation to the extension 28;

and the flange 26a of the plate 26 andv that the web 1 connecting the plates and 6 also terminates short of the extension 28. 'Also, the plates.

26 and 5 have ahorizontal notch 84 therupper edge of which is coincident of the lower edge-of the web 1 and the lower edge of the plate '27 With this construction, the machine can be easilyv and quickly charged with wire from the spool 3.

To accomplish this, the bracket 33- and'Wire-' feeding roller 12 are swung into the position shown by dot and dash lines in Figure 3, Whereupon the wire is grasped in one hand, manually pulled from the spool, and, without release or change of the grasp, laid in the grooves of the rollers 12 and 17. Then the bracket 33 and roller- 72 are pressed inwardly to snap the spring extension 73 into the notch 80 as shown in solid lines in Figure 3 so as to firmly grip wire between the rollers 12 and I7. To facilitate laying of the wire into the groove of the roller 11, the exten: sion 28 of the plate 26 and the car 82 on the plate 21 may have arcuate flanges 27a concentric with the roller 11, in e-dgewise spaced and opposed relation at opposite sides of said groove and formed with beveled edges to guide the wire W into the groove. The extension 18 also has a wire pressing roller 85 to hold the wire in tight frictional contact with the walls of the groove in the roller 71, and a guide finger 86 is also mounted on the extension 18 to guide the wire laterally of the slide 30 as best shown in Figures 3 and 10.

For feeding the wire after it has been-initially I initially inserted into the machine as described, the roller 17 is driven by a mutilated pinion 8! which meshes with a tooth rack 88 on one edge of the slide 39 and has a spring pawl 89 rigidly connected thereto and cooperating with recesses or openings 90 in the roller 11, solthat as the slide 30 is moved by the bell crank lever 31 during descent of the die 43, the roller 1'! will be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction (see the Figures and 17) to frictionally pull the wire W from the spool and project the free end thereof across the mandrel 32. A stop pawl 9! is provided to prevent backward rotation of the roller TI. 7

V In order that the forward or leading end portion of the wire W shall be properly positioned over the mandrel 32 and lined up with and. beneath the transverse notches or groves 10 in the bottom end faces of the legs 45 and 46 of the die and with the lower face or end of the blade 52 of punch 44, when the slide is in its foremost position as shown inFiguresB and 10, a block92 of substantially the same width as the mandrel 30, and which preferably is integral with said mandrel, :"is mounted on the slide 30 at a point midway between the side edges of the latter and at the rear end of the mandrel. This block 92 has a suitable guide.

for the wire extending across the same and provided. by an angular, recess 93 which intercepts the front andbottom surfaces of said block and also'the surfaces of both itssides, or which, in

other words, is open at the front and bottom sides and at both ends.

so as to receive and guid the leading extremity of the wire to the other end of said recess asbest' shown in Figures 9 and 17. t V

1 Bearing in mind that the wire W is moved trans-.

versely of the mandrel during av portion of the descending movement of the die, it is desirable toensure against the possibility of the leading end of the wire becoming tangled with the die or being projected at the wrong or forward side of the die-l Accordingly the leg 46 of the, die adjacent; the wire feeding roller 11, is cut away to form a plu-.

rality of wire deflecting facets which if struck endwise by the leading end of the wire,-Wil1 .deflect;

or guide the wire rearwardly. As shown best in Figure 1 8, one facet v94 extendsdiagonally rearwardly fromthe front edge of the leg. and

merges at its lower end into a downwardly and outwardly extending facet 95. Preferably another facet 96 is formed on the lower front portion of he leg 46 beneath the main facet 94. The facet gular recess 93 of the guide block 92.

At this point, it maybe .well to describe a ified form of the wire feeding or guiding mechanism which is illustrated inFigure J9. This mechanism is in general similar to that herein;

beforedescribed, but the wire feeding rollers and the grooves therein are shaped differently from the rollers 12 and TI and their grooves. More specifically, the roller 91 which correspo'ndstothe roller 12 hasa veshaped groove 98: between the edges of which and the outer sides of the roller are beveled surfaces 99. The roller, lllllwhich' corresponds to the roller 11 has a deep'V-shaped groove llll the ,outer portions of the side walls of which frictionallyengage the surfaces 99 of the roller 91: so that the latterroller is driven by theroller I00. In thisform of the invention, the wire is'notgripped between the rollersv 91 and H10,

but the roller 91, being: driven by the rollerilflll,

transmits a tractive force to the wire, wound around roller 91 by virtue of the belttension of the wire on said roller'9'l. Preferably the walls of the two grooves 98 and l [H are disposed at am) degree angle to each other which practically doubles the gripping force of the wire, and the wire is wrapped through an angle of about 180 degrees on the rollers, which again multiplies'the tractive force on the wire. The roller I02 which corresponds to the roller has its sides beveled and obviously other modifications and changesin details of construction of this mechanism maybe made within the spirit and scope of the invention; For severing apiece of wire of sufficient length This recess. 93 flares toward that end thereof which is opposite the roller .11,

to :form a staple, a small angular knife I04 is removably secured as by a screw, to 2. lug I struck up from the extension 28 of the plate 26 with its short horizontal arm extending inwardly so that its edge constitutes a cutting edge and is disposed to coact with the lower end of the leg 46 of the die member when the die is depressed, to-shear the wire. Desirably, but not necessarily, the lower edge of the slot 84 may also cooperate With the lower edge of the other leg 45 'of the die member to initially sever the excess length of wire that usually will project when the machine is first charged with wire as shown by the dot and dash lines in Figure 13, so that upon the first operation of the die member, a perfect and complete staple may be formed and thus :avoid the loss of wire that usually occurs as a result of the formation of an incomplete staple on the first operation of known machines.

As hereinbefore indicated, the anvil 4 cooperates with the punch 44 in bending the wire to form the staples, and directly below the plunger, the anvil is provided-with groves 4A the form of which is best shown in Figures .13, and 16. These grooves receive and upsetthe ends of a staple towards each other as the staple is being forced by the punch of the plunger device through superposed sheets IU! of material supported on the anvil, 'to thereby clinch the said ends against the lowermost of said sheets.

The spring it normally acts to maintain the frame A and the slide mounted thereon, in their raised uppermost positions with respect to :the base I, as shown by heavy dot and dash lines in Figure 1; and aspring 68 normally acts to maintain the lever 66 and thereby the plunger device in their raised uppermost positions with respect to the main frame. When the frame is in this uppermost position, the slide 30 is in its foremost position with the mandrel 32 directly beneath the plunger, and both the die 43 and the punch 4! are at the upper limit of their vertical movement with the lower ends of notches 48 in the die 43 engaging the fixed lugs 49, the pin 59 of punch 44 engaging the upper end of the slot 58 in the die, the teeth of pawl -53 engaging the notches 55 in the die, and the tooth 51 of block 5| engaging the upper of the two spaced teeth 40 and M on the lever 31. For convenience in the illustration, the frame A is shown in the drawing in the position assumed when it is initially pressed downwardly in contact with the sheets to be stapled and against the influence of the spring 85, but actually the normal'position of the main frame A is that outlined by the heavy dot and dash lines in Figure 1.

In the use of the machine, starting with the parts in their normal positions, and the wire threaded therethrough as described above, the

sheets to be fastened are first inserted in the as the handle 62 of lever 60 is located a considerable distance forwardly of the point of connection between such lever and the plunger device, less pressure need be exerted in actuating the plunger device through its com-plete down stroke, because of the gained leverage obtained, than Pressure is then applied to the handle 62 notches 48 in the die.

spring Hi, the strength of the spring being less than that .of spring 68, until the front end of the bottom webzlt of the auxiliary frame engages the sheets to be fastenedwith a pressure sumcient to securely hold the same in position as shown *inFigure l. Thereafter lever Gil is moved downwardly with respect to frame A about pivot iii against the-action of spring 68, the lever, through the links 64 and Wrist pin 66 then imparting downward movement to the punch 44 of the plunger device. During the first part of the downward movement of punch 4!; :the die 43 is positively moved therewith because of the engagement of the teeth of pawl 53 with the notchesiifs in the die, asshown in Figure '14. The positive downward movement thus imparted to the die continues until the lower ends of the members :and 45 thereof are almost down in engagement with the uppermost of the sheets being fastened together, during which movement the staple is formed ,as hereinafter "described. -At this point the pawl 53 is moved about its pivot against the action of spring 54, by reason of the engagement of its lug 56 with the upper screw 29, and the pawl teeth are thus disengaged from the notches 55, as :shown in Figure in engagement with the'uppermost of the sheets being'fastened, and the lugs =49 of plates 26 and 27 are nearly engaged by the upper ends of By the simple construction described a constant throw and uniform action of 'each of the parts of the plunger device are obtained in the successive down strokes of the machine, and this regardless of the aggregate thickness of the superposed sheets being fastened together. Also by limiting the downward movement or throw of the punch and its blade 52, as described, any danger of the end of said blade forcing the base of a staple through all or anyrof the superposed sheets being secured together, no matter how thin the separate sheets or how little the aggregate thickness'of the sheets may be, is entirely eliminated.

In the downward movement imparted to die 43 as described, the lower end of the member l6 thereof first coacts with knife N34 to cut off the transversely extending forward end section of the wire, and both die members 45 and 46' then bend the end portions of said wire section down over the sides of the mandrel 32 to form disposed in the grooves 50 and with the lower 11 ends of said legs and said members substantially flush. Somewhat before the completion of the down stroke of die 43, the projection or tooth on the punch member 52 is moved into engagement with the lower tooth 40 on the upper 4 end of lever 31 and effects movement of the latter about pin 38 in a clockwise direction (referring to Figure 1) and thereby rearward movement of slide 3!),the construction and arrangement being such that the mandrel 32 is wholly withdrawn from the path of the plunger device and the confines of the formed staple substantially as the down stroke of the die is completed. In the continued and independent downward movement of the punch 4 the lower end of punch blade 52 engages the base of the formed staple, pushes the staple from grooves 5!), drives the legs of the staple through the sheets disposed over anvil 4, and forces the ends of said legs against the bottom of grooves 4a in the anvil to thereby i,

- of the descent of the plunger and die, the slide 30 will remain stationary until the lug 51 on the plunger block 5| engages the lower tooth 40 on the bell crank lever 31, and during this movement the die member will havebent the wire over the mandrel as shown in Figure 13 and the mandrel will have started to withdraw from beneath the plunger. Then during the remainder of the descent of the plunger, the lever 31 ill be swung to move the slide 30 rearwardly to completelywithdraw the mandrel from beneath the plunger and to simultaneously drive the wire feeding roller 11 or I 00 as the case may be. At the same time,

the plunger will complete its movement to drive and clinch the staple as shown in Figures 2, 9 and 16. The rotation of the wire-feeding roller pulls thewire from the spool and projects the leading end thereof across the mandrel as shown inFigure 17, the facets 94, 95 and 96 on the die member guiding the wire into the proper position.

The pressure on the handle 62 is then removed. whereupon the frame A and the parts carried thereby will be automatically returned to their normal'positions as shown in Figure 1, the spring I6 acting to raise the frame about the pin II] after the spring 68 has raised lever 60 to thereby move the plunger device through this upstroke and reciprocate the slide to its foremost position. The guide block 92 will push the end of the wire W into proper position transversely of the mandrel 32 as shown in Figures 1 and 10. It will be understood that the backward movement of the wire during return of the slide 30 is prevented by holding pawl 9|. The machine then is ready for the next operation to produce, drive and clinch another staple.

In order to insure a positive return of the die member 43 to its uppermost position, it is desirable to provide notches I08 in the legs 45 and .46 of the die member tobe engaged by the pawl 68, the die member will be positively lifted. The

pawl 53 will be disengaged from the notches I08 as the punch approaches its uppermost position by engagement'of the lug 56 on'the 'pawl with the bolt 29, and when the punch reaches its uppermost position, the pawl will automatically engage the notches 55 in the die member in readiness for the next staple forming operation.

A modification of the invention is shown in Figures 21 to 24 inclusive wherein the machine includes a base -I I I] which may be identical to the base I, and a support or frame B which is pivotally mounted on the base I through a pivot pin III and an hinge element H2 substantially the same as the pin i0 and hinge element' S. on

the frame is pivoted a channel lever H3 which ma be identical'with the lever 65! and which'is connected to and operates a plunger device identical with the plunger device d3, 44.

The frame also includes spaced'paralleliplates H4 and I I5, corresponding with the plates 5 and 6, and plates I I6 and H1 corresponding to the plates 26 and 21, the former of which has a horizontal extension H8 corresponding to the extension .28 and formed with an upturned flange. H9 to serve as a guideway for a slide lZIlwhich corresponds to but ,is somewhat different inconstruction from the slide 30.

The slide is actuated by arbell crank lever I2I in exactly the same manner as the slide 30 is actuated by the lever 31. g

Mounted on and projecting outwardly from the plate H6 above the slide .I2G'is a wire guiding block I22 the outer end of which is curved and has a wire guide groove I23 which cooperates with a complemental groove I24'in a wire keeper lever I25 which is pivotally mounted .by a pin I25 from a pivot ear I 2! that projects-inwardly fromthe frame plate ill. One end of the wire guide groove is directed transversely of the mandrel I27 which is mounted 'on the slide I20 so as to guide the free end of the wire across the mandrel, and a wire guiding lug I28 corresponding to the lug 92 ismounted on the slide and projects through a slot I 29 on the wire guide block I722.

The plunger device cooperates with the mandrel I2! in the same waythat the plunger device 00% operates with the mandrel 32 in the construction shown in Figures 1 to 18 inclusive, and has been omitted fromFigure 21. for clearness in illustration.

At the rear guide block I22 is the wire spool S. a

The plates H5 and H1 terminate short. of the flange H9 to provide a clearance for the wire guide block I22; the wire keeper lever l25eand for clearance to permit the threading of the wire from spool S into the wire feeding clutches. shown, there are two clutches generally designated C and D the former being mounted on the plate I I6 and comprising two juxtaposed jaws I 3| to receive and grip the wire W between their adjacent ends, the other ends of said jaws being pivotally mountedon a bracket I32, the jaws normally being influenced toward each other by a spring l 33 so as to prevent backward movement of the wire, that is, movement of the wire toward the spool.

The other clutch includes two jaws I34 identical with the jaws I3I and pivotally mounted in the same manner on a bracket I35 which is carried by the slide I20. These jaws I34 normally are influenced toward each other to grip the wire by a spring I36 and so that they will slip over the wire whenthe slide I30 is actuated rearwardly or toward the spool and will grip thewire to feed the same when the slidemoves in the opposite direction or forwardly. H

end of the frame opposite the wire 'In accordance with the invention means is provided to facilitate threading of the wire into the clutches in such a manner that the wire may be grasped in one hand, manually pulled from the spool and without release or change of the grasp, slipped between the jaws of both clutches C and D. This means is shown as comprising jaw-opening fingers I31, one for each jaw of each clutch, mounted on an actuating rod I38 which is slidably mounted in the brackets I32 and I35. The rod I38 is pivotally connected at 139 by a link IN to an arm I4! on the wire keeper lever I25. The parts are so proportioned and related that when the wire keeper lever is in its "normal position as shown by solid lines in Figure 2'1 and in Figures and 23, the jaw opening fingers I3'I are so positioned that the jaws may 'be operated to feed the wire upon reciprocation of'the slide I20 during staple-forming operations.

However, when the wire keeper lever is swun A outwardly'into the dot and dash position of Figure 21 and as shown in Figure 22, the jawopening fingers are pulled forwardly as shown by dot and dash lines in Figure 21 and in Figure 22.

In this position, the fingers will force the jaws of the clutch C apart, and when the slide 120 is pushed rearwardly the jaw opening fingers will also open the jaws of clutch D as shown in Figure 22. For holding the jaws in their open positions, a detent lever I42 is mounted on the base Hi) to engage a notch I 43 on the underside of the slide when the latter is pushed rearwardly so as to hold the slide against return movement forwardly. A spring I44 normally influences the detent I42 into an out-of-the-way position as shown in Figure 20.

While the jaws are in their open positions as shown in Figure '22 and the keeper lever is swung outwardly as shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 21, the wire may be pulled from the spool and slipped laterally of the frame B between the jaws T31. and I34 of the two clutches, after which the wire maybe drawn into the grooves I23 and I24 of the wire guide block I22 and keeper lever as shown by dot and dash lines in Figure 21. l

Then the lever I25 :is swung inwardly toward theblock I22 so as to loosely hold the wire in the 'guideway formed by the grooves I23, I24 (see Figure 24). By shaping the keeper lever and pivoting it as shown in the drawing, it will be 5 observed that it is really not necessary for the operator toguide the wire between the jaws of the clutches because when the wire is laid in the grooves I23, I24 and the lever is swung inwardly the wire automatically is pushed laterally between the clutch :j aws.

For the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention I have shown it embodied in two specific embodiments, particularly two types of wire feeding means, but it should be understood that many modifications and changes may be made in the details of construction of the machine, and the wire feeding mechanism may be embodied .in other types of machines all within thespirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with a horizontal base, a frame thereon,-a device mounted on said frame for vertical reciprocatory movement to act upon wire, and a support for a wire supply, of means above said base for pullin wire from said sup-ply and =for feedingiit to a-predetermined position to be acted upon by said device, said-means includinga plurality of cooperative wire-gripping elements normally to grip said wire between them,

said elements being relatively bodily movable in planes substantially parallel to said base so that they may be moved apart and the wire maybe manually grasped with one hand and while the grasp is retained may be pulled from said supply and placed in proper relation to said elements to be gripped between them when they are moved toward each other, means for actuating at least one of said elements to feed said wire from said supply to said predetermined position, and means holding said wire-gripping elements normally in wire-gripping relation.

2. The combination with a horizontal base, a frame thereon, a device mounted on said frame for vertical reciprocatory movement to act upon wire, and a support for a wire supply, of means above said base for pullin wire from said supply and for feeding it to a predetermined position to be acted upon by said device, said means including a plurality of cooperative wire-gripping rollers normally to grip said wire between their peripheries, said rollers being mounted to rotate on axes perpendicular to said base and being relatively bodily movable so that they may be moved apart in a plane perpendicular to their axes and the wire may be manually grasped with one hand and while the grasp is retained may be pulled from said supply and placed in proper relation to the peripheries of said rollers to be gripped between them when the rollers are moved toward each other, means holding said rollers normally in wire-gripping relation, and means for actuating at least one of said rollers to feed saidwire.

3. A machine of the character described comprising a base, means disposed above said base for withdrawing wire from a source and for feeding the same towards a certain point including a frame, a reciprocatory device mounted thereon, a pair of wire-feeding rollers journaled on said frame in a common plane, each having a peripheral groove one of which is V -shaped, said wire between said source and the leading end of said wire being wrapped around a portion of the periphery of one of said rollers and then around a portion of the periphery of the other roller in frictional contact with the walls of said grooves and the edge of said roller having the V-shaped groove being disposed. within said groove of theother roller at the point where said wire passes from one roller to the other whereby the wire will be gripped between the sides of said V-shaped groove and the base of the groove in the other roller and means including an operative connection between said reciprocating device and one of said rollers for rotating said rollers in the direction to feed said wire. 1

4. .A machine of the character described comprising a base, a support for a supply of wire, means disposed above said base for withdrawing wire from such supply and for feeding the same towards a certain point including a frame, a pair of rollers ,journaled on said frame in a common plane with one between the other and said support, each having a peripheral groove, said wire between said source and the leading end of said wire being wrapped around a portion of the periphery of one of said rollers and then around the periphery of the other roller in frictional contact with the walls of said grooves, the edges of said rollers being in frictional contact with each other, and means for rotating the one of said rollers that is farther from said source whereby the other roller will be driven by the first-mentioned roller and said rollers Will'fliC- tionally pull said wire from said source, and means for guiding the free leading end of said wire. e

5. A machine of the character described, com prising the combination with a horizontal base, a frame, a plunger device mountedon said frame for vertical reciprocatory movement, a slide mounted on said frame for horizontal-reciprocatory movement between two extreme positions in one of which it cooperates with said plunger device to act upon a piece of Wire, a support for a wire supply, of wire-feeding mechanism ineluding a roller mounted on said frame for rotation in one direction about a vertical axis, said wire between said source and its free end being wrapped around a portion of the periphery of said rollerin frictional contact therewith, and means including an operative connection between said slide and said roller for rotating the latter to pull said Wire from said source, and means to guide said wire into a predetermined position relatively to said slide and said plunger device to be acted upon by said plunger device.

6. In a fastening machine of the class described, the combination with a horizontal base, means for acting upon wire, of a frame on said base, a plunger device mounted on said frame above said base for vertical reciprocatory movement and biased to a raised inoperative position, a slide mounted for horizontal movement between two extreme positions, said slide having a mandrel with which theplunger device is adapted to'coact and which is located beneath said device in one extreme position of the slide, means whereby upon each operation of the machine said slide withdraws wire from a source and projects the free end of said wire into a predetermined position beneath said plunger device, said means including a wire-feeding roller rotatable about a vertical axis around a portion of the periphery of which said wire is wrapped in frictional contact therewith, a guide onsaid frame engaging said wire between said roller and the leading end of said 'wire, means including an operative connection between said roller and said slide for rotatin said roller to advance said wire from said source, and a guide lug on said slide in such position with respect to said guide as to be engaged by the wire so advanced and to direct the Wire into said predetermined position.

7. The fastening machine set forth in claim 4 with the addition of means mounting the firstmentioned one of said rollers for bodily movement in said plane away from the other roller.

8. The machine set forth in claim 3 with theaddition of means for yieldingly influencing one of said rollers toward the other.

9. The machine set forth in claim 4 with the addition of means for yieldingly holding said rollers in frictional contact with each other, and

means for yieldingly pressing said wire into the groove of the first-mentioned roller.

10. The machine set forth in claim 3 wherein said wire is wrapped through an angle of about 180 around each roller.

11. The machine set forth in claim 4 wherein 7 said wire is wrapped through an angle of about '16 upon by said mechanism, said means including wire-gripping elements forming i wire-receiving passages between them extending in the direction from said'spool to said predetermined osition, said elements being relatively adjustableso that the wire may be grasped manually with one hand'and while so grasped may be pulled from said source and inserted into said passagesin'a direction transverse to the first-mentioned direction, and means for actuating said wire.- grippin elements to feed said wire.

13. In a fastening machine of the character described, the combination with a base-,a frame on said base, mechanism on said frame to act upon wire, a support for a 'wire supply on said frame'in spaced relation to said mechanism, :of

means for withdrawing wire from said source and feeding it to a predetermined position to-be; acted upon by said mechanism, said means including wire-gripping elements forming wire-receiving passages between them and being movableitoward and from each other togrip and releasea wire respectively, means for actuatingsaid wiregripping elements to feed said wire, said passages between said elements also opening laterally in a direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of feeding movementof said wire between said elements, and means for movingsaid wire-gripping" elements apart'so that the wire may be grasped in one hand and while so grasped may be pulled from a source and slipped laterally into said passages. a

14. The machine set forth in claim 1 with the addition of aguide for directing said wire to said predetermined position including two parts to form a wire passage between them when they are in juxtaposed relation to each other, one of said parts being movable away from the other to allow insertion of wire into said-passage between them, and an operative connection between said movable part and the last-named means for moving said'wire-grippin elements apart simultaneously with movement 'of said movable part of said wire guide away from the'other part.

15. A machine of the character described comprising a base, means disposedabove said-base for withdrawing wire from a source'and' for feeding the same towards a predetermined position including a frame, a'reciprocatory-device mounted thereon, a pair of wire-feeding'rollers journaled on said frame, said wire between said sourceand the leading end of said wire being wrapped around a portion of the periphery of one of said rollers and then around a portion-ofthe periphery of the other roller in frictional contact therewith, means including an operative connection between said reciprocating device and one of said rollers for rotating said rollers in the dire'ction to feed said wire toward saidpredetermined'position, a' third roller receiving said wire between itself and said one of said pairofrollers to hold said wire in tight frictional contact with 'said one roller, and means mounting the other of saidpair of rollers and said third roller for bodily movement away from" said one rollerto facilitate layin of wire between the peripheries of -said rollers.

16. A machine of the character described comprising a base, means disposed above said base for withdrawing wire from a source and for feeding the same towards a predetermined position in I around a portion of the periphery of one of said rollers and then around a portion of the periphery of the other roller in frictional contact therewith, means including an operative connection between said reciprocating device and one of said rollers for rotating said rollers in the direction to feed said wire toward said predetermined position, a third roller receiving said wire between itself and said one of said pair of rollers to hold said wire in tight frictional contact with said one roller, and yielding means common to the other of said pair of rollers and to said third roller for mounting them for bodily movement toward and away from said one roller and for yieldingly pressing said other roller and said third roller toward said one roller to force said wire into tight frictional contact with said one roller.

17. In a stapling machine, means for withdrawing wire from a source of wire supply including a vertically reciprocable device spaced from said source in a horizontal direction and adapted to act on said wire, a member slidably mounted for horizontal reciprocating movement under the control of the vertical reciprocation of said device, elements gripping said wire between them controlled by said slidable member to feed said wire from said source to said device upon each reciprocation of said member, and manual actuating means for relatively moving the normally cooperating elements away from each other so that the wire may be grasped with one hand and while so grasped may be pulled mally cooperatin rollers, at least one of which is rotated in one direction under the control of said slidable member, said actuating means beingarranged to move said rollers away from each other in a substantially horizontal plane to facilitate insertion of said wire between them.

FREDERICK FRANZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 386,761 Thomas July 24, 1888 520,734 Greenfield May 29, 1894 968,863 Mackay Aug. 30, 1910 1,296,960 Hutchinson Mar. 11, 1919 1,897,625 Svensson Feb. 14, 1933 1,934,104 Svensson Nov. 7, 1933 2,265,423 Faas Dec. 9, 1941 2,325,322 Jackson July 27, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Countrs Date 708,442 France Apr. 28, 1931 18 from said source and inserted between said gripping elements transversely to the direction of reciprocation of said slidable member.

18. In a stapling machine as defined in claim 17, said gripping elements comprising two nor- 

